IT is time for Malaysians of all races to heed the warning issued by Yang Di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim King of Malaysia to stop exploiting the Allah inscription on socks issue.
After the socks furore appeared to reek of foul play, many political leaders as well as political commentators have expressed concerns over the main actor, Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh’s way of handling the matter.
The maverick firebrand seems to think that he is displaying Malay power if he can “bury the KK Super Mart business” but recent developments – especially with two attempted firebomb attacks on KK Mart convenience stores – clearly shows that he is losing his narrative.
Till now, he has also refused to apologise for threatening to close down all 881 KK Super Mart convenience stores throughout the country, a feat which took its founder Datuk Seri Chai Kee Kan 23 years of hard work to build.
Akmal should realise that his boycott call of genuine businesses will inevitably scare away potential foreign investors. He needs to know by now that what he and other politicians or quasi-politicians did thus far has already wounded the feelings of many non-Muslims who think that his politics has gone too far.
The damage done to both the political and business landscape in the country by playing up the 2R (race and religion) issues is hard to reverse.
Mounting pressure
If Akmal is still recalcitrant, he should at least heed one independent political analyst Syaza Syukri’s observations: “(PAS and Bersatu) are letting UMNO take the blame for any deteriorating relationship with non-Malays.”
The International Islamic University Malaysia lecturer has concluded that both PAS and Bersatu have “majority Malay voters already.” But, what Akmal did will ensure further erosion of non-Muslim support for UMNO.
This writer opines that even reprimands by retailer and wholesaler Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin and former Wanita UMNO chief Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz have fallen on deaf ears.
Even if the Merlimau assemblyman chooses to ignore these two, he should at least heed his predecessor and former UMNO Youth chief, Khairy Jamaluddin who did not care to mince his own words.
Akmal who is also the Melaka state executive councillor in-charge of rural development, agriculture and food security should have also taken cognisance of what is happening, especially after three incidents of Molotov cocktail attacks – one targeting at Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham and two KK Super Mart convenience stores.
The domino effect of the boycott call has also influenced others including PERKASA chief, Syed Hasan Syed Ali who is also resorting to using the same tactic to arm-twist national oil corporation PETRONAS to meet his demands.
In many ways, these players have taken the law into their own hands despite prompt police actions and to some extent, the accused willingly apologised publicly.
In fact, while referring to the petrol bomb attack on a second KK Super Mart convenience store in Pahang two days ago, Wiliam Leong, the PKR lawmaker in-charge of reforms who wrote this interesting article in 2019 contended: “What I wrote in 2019 is now happening.”
No smoke if there is no fire
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has already warned proponents of the boycott against KK Super Mart to take full responsibility and to stop instigating heated public sentiments.
Saifuddin has stopped short of saying what the police would do but many netizens are urging the police to act against Akmal and several other vigilante groups for stoking at religious sentiments.
This is because most Malaysians regardless of race or religion want unity and peaceful co-existence in order to revive the country’s economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. They want the politics of hatred to stop so that everyone can put their focus on reviving the economy.
May 13, 1969 which boils down to nothing but mere clashes between several political parties should not be allowed to repeat itself now in an attempt to topple Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PMX).
A poison letter penned by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had fuelled the tension that eventually saw the resignation of Tunku Abdul Rahman. The nonagenarian had subsequently truncated the political career of his detractors including his successor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Nobody knows whether Dr Mahathir is involved in any ouster plots but PMX has to remain vigilant by using the powers vested on him to deal with detractors who attempt to sabotage his reforms and trying to recover millions if not billions that have gone missing.
Instead of harping on every perceivable weakness of the unity government now that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has netted the ‘big fish’, netizens should now heed Johor DAP committee member Dr Boo Cheng Hau to set aside their differences and throw their support behind the PMX.
We are facing challenging times. “Malaysia,” observed Sungai Buloh netizen V. Thomas, “is dangerously going down the slippery path of hate and inflammatory remarks which could only cause a rift and split in erstwhile peaceful communities.” – April 1, 2024
Main image credit: Akmal Saleh Facebook
